ℰ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇ℯ𝒶𝓁 － ℬ𝓊𝒸𝓀𝓎 ℬ𝒶𝓇𝓃ℯ𝓈 𝒳 𝒪𝒞

𝒜𝒸𝓉 𝑋𝐼𝐼

"You come into my practice and slack off! You come in late! You gain weight! What have you been eating?!" She hisses, walking closer to her. She grabs her arm and flicks the muscle of it.

Peter saw she had been gaining weight again, but she looked healthy. In her eyes, you could see the pain when she didn't eat, her sunken features, and her protruding bones. He and Greyson were trying to help her, urging her to stay away from the toilet bowl and sinks she would throw up into.

He wanted to cry for her. All he wanted to do was grab her and hold her in his arms, just to apologize for what was happening.

"You are lazy and worthless! I should have cast Natasha as Sugarplum because at least she shows up on time and is consistent!"

Lana stared ahead of her. She had grown used to blocking out any form of yelling and degrading over the years. She was practically numb to it at this point. All she could feel was the tears streaming down her cheeks. She gulped and clenched her teeth, trying not to break down.

"You're crying?! You're crying because you are weak! You have no commitment to your craft!"

"I'm sorry, Mistress, I was late."

"No. You apologize to Peter! You apologize to him for having to leave class to get you here."

Lana feels the tears plummet down her cheeks in gentle trickles. Adeline snapped in her face, and she blinked them away. Wiping her eyes.

Adeline backs away. "APOLOGIZE TO MISTER PARKER, NOW!"

She flinches away, shutting her eyes and slowly opening them again, she met Peter's gaze, and his brown eyes were softened. Why couldn't she hug him right now?

"I'm sorry, Peter," she whispers.

Adeline raised her brows. "That doesn't sound like an apology... I don't think I heard it. Did you, Peter?"

He nods. "Yes, Mistress, I heard it," he replied, rasping out the words in a forced tone.

Adeline picked up her cane and threw it in Peter's direction. Lana's hand flew to her lips, and she gasped in fear. He lunged away from the piece of wood, and they both heard it clatter to the ground. "DID YOU HEAR HER, PARKER?!" Adeline roared.

"NO!" He screamed back.

"ADAMS, APOLOGIZE!"

"I'm SORRY! I'M SORRY, PETER, FOR PULLING YOU FROM CLASS!" Lana cries out, all of her sobs breaking through her cold and hardened exterior.

Adeline glared at Alana and stepped closer. "This is pathetic. The only reason I haven't cut you from this role is because your father donates more money to the theater than anyone. If you truly want to impress me. Do ten in a row! Ten pirouettes. I want to see them now!"

Stepping back, Lana positioned herself, feeling that lump in her throat as she tried not to lose it. She wiped her nose and readied herself for her turns. She spotted each one, and with every turn of her head, she met Adeline's eyes again. After only six, her foot gave out, and she fell to the ground with a groan.

"GET UP!" Adeline snaps.

"Mistress," Lana sobs. "I've never done more than eight, and that's on a good day!"

"I want ten out of you! You should be able to accomplish that with the fact you slept in today!"

She carried herself to her knees, and Peter had his hand over his mouth. He was so close to standing up and taking her out of there.

"GET UP, ADAMS! I WON'T ASK AGAIN!"

Finally getting to her feet, she positioned herself again, the tears continuing to well in her eyes. She spun once, twice, three more times and got through the sixth turn. Her toes were on fire, and she wanted to make sure she didn't fuck up her nail again. She probably already did.